The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-29
PLACER SANS INVESTMENT

Ten Kegs Of Gold-Dust Dug in Six Months
and Lost in Poker
Bismarck correspondence st. Paul Globe
met few days ago a aueer-looking body,
loosely hung together. who told me many stories
of the wonderful fortunes that had been made
among the placer miners Of central and western
Montana He sat on top of an empty beer-keg
in the bar-room Of the Sheridan House, and
carelesslv pecked away at tho oaken slaves with
an ugly-lookine knife. Placer Sam WAS the
name he gave me, and whom he spoke it was
with nasal twang that gave evidence of at
least early training among the mountains of
Vermont As he talked Interestingly of how
fortunes were made and lost in few days
fifteen years ago in the mines of Montana, /
occasionally encouraged him with an invitation
to test the quality Of Bismarck whisky, which
he did with an interest that caused the eyes of
the bartender to bulge ont and prompted him
to charge 10 cents more test than he was wont
to do.
Among the incidents that Sam reeled off in his
peculiar style he told me OF green lad unused
to the ways of the West, who one day wandered
into Confederate Guch and among the miners
there applied for work. There WAS no one there
who wanted to hire help and he was told to pros
pect He didn't understand what the word
meant and insisted that some one should put him
to work and give him an opportunity to earn his
daily bread. firing of his persistency, one day
when the lad made his usual application for
work, with salary attachment, miner picked
up a stone from the ground and, throwing it out
upon an unbroken spot in the gulch, told him to
get pick and shovel and dig The lad did as he
was bid, and as he quietly kept at his work day
after day and paid no particular attention to any
one the miners, pleased at last to have got
rid Of him, studiously left him to himself For
six months he kept up his digging, and at the
end of that time surprised the camp by buying a
mule team and hiring company of twenty
FIVE armed men to guard the nail kegs
filed to the brim with glittering gold
dust that he had taken from the
| ground on which the stone tossed by careless
| hand had fallen The kegs were loaded behind
| the mules and under the eyes of the twenty five
| men wers carted through the mountains and
| across the plains to Omaha, where it dis
| posed Of and the handsome proceeds pocketed
| by the lucky lad. l asked the man what was
| the name Of the fellow who had made the great
strike. and. with vicious jab at the slaves Of
| the key with his knife, he replied:
| ut wus me-"
/ was considerably surprised but not satisfied
| and, continuing the conversation, asked him i
| he had the money invested. and he said he hai
invested every cent. l asked him what in. ant
| he replied:
| Poker"
invited him to once more battle himself ii
| whisky, which he did, and We separated. In
quiry regarding Placer Sam leads me to believ
| thar what he told me was true. and that the mai
| who fifteen years ago was a millionaire is now
| bar-room loafer, with spirit, and pennilese
and this in consequence of his infatuation TO
the festive game that has dug many grave
for the fortunes of men all over the world.